半年盘点｜入境游呈现多点爆发，上半年上海接待入境游客同比增长38.5％

Core Insights - The inbound tourism market in China has shown significant growth in the first half of 2025, with major port cities like Shanghai leading the way in visitor numbers and tax refund sales [1][4][5] Inbound Tourism Growth - Shanghai received 4.248 million inbound tourists from January to June 2025, marking a 38.5% year-on-year increase, with tax refund sales growing by 85% [1][4] - Hainan, Hunan, and Chongqing also reported substantial growth in inbound tourism, with Hainan seeing a 48% increase in foreign visitors [5][4] Visa Policies and Visitor Preferences - The increase in inbound tourists is largely attributed to visa-free policies and the appeal of Chinese cuisine, with 47 countries eligible for unilateral visa exemptions and 55 for 240-hour transit visa exemptions as of June 30 [3][4] - A significant portion of inbound tourists, particularly from Europe and East Asia, cited visa facilitation and food as primary reasons for their visits [3][4] Economic Impact of Events and International IP - Major international events and conferences held in China have contributed to the resurgence of inbound tourism, with events like the F1 China Grand Prix attracting over 220,000 attendees [7] - The overall inbound tourism is recovering to 70%-80% of pre-pandemic levels, with Southeast Asian visitors increasing rapidly [7] Accommodation and Shopping Trends - Hotel chains like Huazhu reported a 72% increase in foreign guests in the first half of 2025, with Shanghai, Beijing, and Guangzhou being the top destinations [8] - Shopping has also seen a boost, with Shanghai implementing upgraded tax refund measures to enhance the shopping experience for inbound tourists [10] Future Prospects and Service Enhancements - The inbound tourism market is expected to see an additional growth opportunity of $100 billion to $200 billion, necessitating improvements in multilingual services and the use of AI tools to enhance efficiency [11]